Director Ivan Reitman, writer Aaron Sorkin and Roseanne Barr also signed the petition, which was published in the magazines Billboard, Variety and Hollywood Reporter.

It comes after other celebrities, including Penelope Cruz, Rihanna and Selena Gomez criticised Israel's response to the rocket attacks.

Actress Minnie Driver was one of 200 stars to sign the pro-Israel petition [GETTY]

Hamas cannot be allowed to rain rockets on Israeli cities, nor can it be allowed to hold its own people hostage

Hollywood stars' pro-Israel petition

The petition - which asks Hamas to remember that 'Children are our hope, not our human shields' - was organised by Creative Community for Peace, a group opposed to economic and artistic boycotts of Israel.

The full letter reads:

We, the undersigned, are saddened by the devastating loss of life endured by Israelis and Palestinians in Gaza. We are pained by the suffering on both sides of the conflict and hope for a solution that brings peace to the region," the letter reads.

While we stand firm in our commitment to peace and justice, we must also stand firm against ideologies of hatred and genocide which are reflected in Hamas' charter, Article 7 of which reads, “There is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!” The son of a Hamas founder has also commented about the true nature of Hamas.

Hamas cannot be allowed to rain rockets on Israeli cities, nor can it be allowed to hold its own people hostage. Hospitals are for healing, not for hiding weapons. Schools are for learning, not for launching missiles. Children are our hope, not our human shields.

We join together in support of the democratic values we all cherish and in the hope that the healing and transformative power of the arts can be used to build bridges of peace.

Four Israelis were hurt in the latest Hamas rocket attacks today [AP]

Israel today closed the Erez crossing - used by aid workers, journalists and Palestinians with Israeli permits to enter or leave Gaza - after it came under rocket fire from Hamas and four people were injured.

Fighting resumed on Tuesday after the latest temporary truce between the sides broke down when fresh rocket attacks were launched by Hamas.